It's that bee fly time of year again!

I caught my first sighting of the year of dark-edged bee fly (Bombylius major) on Monday 18th March - at Whiteways Countryside Site, Bury Hill in West Sussex. I counted three individuals on the wing.

dark-edged bee fly 18th March

It took me until the following Sunday 24th March - before I clinched my first garden record of the year with two individuals being recorded front and back garden respectively.

dark-edged bee fly 24th March garden record

A walk to St Hubert's Church, Idsworth on the same day produced multiple sightings of B. major using the hedgerows or gardens along the route. The following day as I walked the holloway that is Mill Lane to Halnaker Windmill - I counted three B. major en route.

dark-edged bee fly Mill Lane, Halnaker
25th March 

Working from home today, I had an opportunity to keep one eye on the garden, and noted during a screen break - that a dotted bee fly (Bombylius discolor) was exploring the plant pots and weeds on the overgrown patio. Camera in hand I captured some record shots for iRecord - and doubled my days count of this species - when a second hove into view.

B. discolor 27th March garden record

At the end of the working day as the temperature dropped - I noted a B. major roosting on a plant pot in the receding sun line.

B. major 27th March garden record